While acknowledging that the recession makes the political battle more difficult, President Obama plans to begin addressing the countrys immigration system this year, including looking for a path for illegal immigrants to become legal, a senior administration official said on Wednesday.

Mr. Obama will frame the new effort  likely to rouse passions on all sides of the highly divisive issue  as policy reform that controls immigration and makes it an orderly system, said the official, Cecilia Muñoz, deputy assistant to the president and director of intergovernmental affairs in the White House.

Mr. Obama plans to speak publicly about the issue in May, administration officials said, and over the summer he will convene working groups, including lawmakers from both parties and a range of immigration groups, to begin discussing possible legislation for as early as this fall.

Some White House officials said that immigration would not take precedence over the health care and energy proposals that Mr. Obama has identified as priorities. But the timetable is consistent with pledges Mr. Obama made to Hispanic groups in last years campaign.

He said then that comprehensive immigration legislation, including a plan to make legal status possible for an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants, would be a priority in his first year in office. Latino voters turned out strongly for Mr. Obama in the election.

He intends to start the debate this year, Ms. Muñoz said.

But with the economy seriously ailing, advocates on different sides of the debate said that immigration could become a polarizing issue for Mr. Obama in a year when he has many other major battles to fight.

Opponents, mainly Republicans, say they will seek to mobilize popular outrage against any effort to legalize unauthorized immigrant workers while so many Americans are out of jobs.

If they legalize the status of the 12 to 20 million illegals already here, they will in turn be able to sponsor another 66 million to 100 million more LEGAL immigrants thru chain migration, i.e., family reunification. America will be destroyed withs the stroke of a pen. It is game, set, and match for the USA.

"He said then that comprehensive immigration legislation, including a plan to make legal status possible for an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants, would be a priority in his first year in office. Latino voters turned out strongly for Mr. Obama in the election."

Mr. Obama will frame the new effort  likely to rouse passions on all sides of the highly divisive issue  as policy reform that controls immigration and makes it an orderly system, said the official, Cecilia Muñoz, deputy assistant to the president and director of intergovernmental affairs in the White House.

The administration and the media would like to frame this as a divisive issue but it is not. I believe immigration is one of the few issues where most Americans agree. It is the elected officials that don't agree with the citizens of this country and therein lies the problem.

13
posted on 04/08/2009 8:29:50 PM PDT
by dmartin
(Not the 'Change' you were 'Hoping' for?)

“Legalization” is going to happen....they brought these “voters” into this country....they will get them legalized and then they have millions of new votes....what part of this don’t people understand....they have the House and Senate and Presidency....game over....it is a shame....I am from Illinois and this political cesspool will never go back to Republican or civilized control...it will forever be corrupt.....

Has anyone noticed that Prince Harry and Queen Nancy have been incognito for the past several weeks? Why is it that The Kenyan is the only one in the spotlight? If the HNIC is so Christ-like, wouldn’t you want to act like an apostle and get some of the glory on you if you could? Wouldn’t you be jostling 2nd rate actors like John Kerry aside to get your mug in front of the camera with Hopeychange? And yet it’s curiously not happening.

Unfortunately, most Americans are ill-informed on the immigration issue. They will buy the “back of the line, pay a fine, and learn English” nonsense and the politicians will emphasize that we are a nation of immigrants. Most Americans don’t realize that you are not legalizing just 12 million [probably over 20 million] but opening the door for another 66 million LEGAL immigrants who will join the 12 million.

Free faxes. It is the NRA in stopping the amnesty and was instrumental last time. Takes 2 minutes to register and 2 minutes a week to review and check. Get all your friends and relatives to use it. It was instrumental in stopping the last amnesty attempt.

Roy has just sent out a message enlisting support against the Dems who appear to be on the verge of putting the Dream Act up for a vote very soon. This would be a piecemeal amnesty for anyone under 35.

I just don’t see it passing. The American people are being unemployed, we are on the brink of an inflationary period and things are going to get worse. As the economy goes down the chutes, people are going to be pissed. And you want to legalize people who should not be here while Americans are unemployed? Could be a summer of rage with every thing else going south.

The most effective way to communicate with a congressional office is on the phone. Interns deal with the faxes and the Internet messages. Usually that involves moving them directly to the circular file. Phone calls, on the other hand, have to be immediately acknowledged and on issues like this, they keep a running score count of pro and con. Three calls a day: one to each of your senators, and one to your congressman, made daily for several weeks or months, can do a world of good. Change your message, your town and your name every day you call. I’m not saying don’t fax and email, too, but your primary weapon should be your phone. Remember last time when we shut down the Capitol phone system?

That's the ticket, just attach the right label on anything and the public will accept it.

"Back in 1927, an American socialist, Norman Thomas, six times candidate for President on the Socialist Party ticket, said that the American people would never vote for socialism but he said under the name of liberalism the American people they would adopt every fragment of the socialist program."President Ronald Reagan

Obama is actually sounding a lot like Ronald Reagan with regards to immigration, even using Reagan’s “hide in the shadows” line. He seems to be wanting to rehash Reagan’s “North American accord”.

Here’s some quotes from an interesting article:

“But even as he signed that bill, he [Reagan] also insisted on a provision for legalizing immigrants already in the U.S...”

“In his signing statement, Reagan declared that “We have consistently supported a legalization program which is both generous to the alien and fair to the countless thousands of people throughout the world who seek legally to come to America. The legalization provisions in this act will go far to improve the lives of a class of individuals who now must hide in the shadows, without access to many of the benefits of a free and open society. Very soon many of these men and women will be able to step into the sunlight and, ultimately, if they choose, they may become Americans.”

Obama is on a track to destroy this country within his 6 month goal. I would love to actually debate him one on one, and the first thing to go would be the teleprompter that tells him what to say. I would, along with every normal thinking person in America that loves this country, would have bamy crying for his Momma within 10 minutes. I will stick with the same tag-line I have had for a long time.

44
posted on 04/08/2009 9:55:11 PM PDT
by SledgeCS
(Build the fence. Deport the Illegals. Sell all their assets to cover the cost.)

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE spend a few dimes and FAX this IMPOSTER of a president your objections to his AMNESTY plans. If there is one thing this thin-skinned buffoon cannot tolerate, it is public ridicule. Please denounce his plan while you ridicule his stupidity and incompetence.

The White House FAX is 202.456.2461; the comments line is 202.456.1111.

I happily scribble address him as "Dear Mr. Teleprompter" or whatever else pops into my head that day.

“I have a P30L which I love. I’m saving up for another one — either a P2000 or a USP.”

That thing is a work of art IMO, lucky you. I have been drooling over the USP and USPc for years as well as HK toys like the 91 .308 and of course the MP5. Just too darn expensive so I have to settle for 3rd world clones :(

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